an historical mystery-第34章

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senator　had　been　hidden　was　known　only　to　her　husband　and　the
Messieurs　de　Simeuse　and　d'Hauteserre；　and　that　she　herself　had　taken
provisions　to　the　senator　on　three　separate　occasions　at　midnight。

Laurence；　questioned　about　the　cavern；　was　forced　to　acknowledge　that
Michu　had　discovered　it　and　had　shown　it　to　her　at　the　time　when　the
four　young　men　evaded　the　police　and　were　hidden　in　it。

As　soon　as　these　preliminary　examinations　were　ended；　the　jury；
lawyers；　and　audience　were　notified　that　the　trial　would　be　resumed。
At　three　o'clock　the　president　opened　the　session　by　announcing　that
the　case　would　be　continued　under　a　new　aspect。　He　exhibited　to　Michu
three　bottles　of　wine　and　asked　him　if　he　recognized　them　as　bottles
from　his　own　cellar；　showing　him　at　the　same　time　the　identity　between
the　green　wax　on　two　empty　bottles　with　the　green　wax　on　a　full　bottle
taken　from　his　cellar　that　morning　by　the　justice　of　peace　in　presence
of　his　wife。　Michu　refused　to　recognize　anything　as　his　own。　But　these
proofs　for　the　prosecution　were　understood　by　the　jurors；　to　whom　the
president　explained　that　the　empty　bottles　were　found　in　the　place
where　the　senator　was　imprisoned。

Each　prisoner　was　questioned　as　to　the　cavern　or　cellar　beneath　the
ruins　of　the　old　monastery。　It　was　proved　by　all　witnesses　for　the
prosecution；　and　also　for　the　defence；　that　the　existence　of　this
hiding…place　discovered　by　Michu　was　known　only　to　him　and　his　wife；
and　to　Laurence　and　the　four　gentlemen。　We　may　judge　of　the　effect　in
the　courtroom　when　the　public　prosecutor　made　known　the　fact　that　this
cavern；　known　only　to　the　accused　and　to　their　two　witnesses；　was　the
place　where　the　senator　had　been　imprisoned。

Marthe　was　summoned。　Her　appearance　caused　much　excitement　among　the
spectators　and　keen　anxiety　to　the　prisoners。　Monsieur　de　Grandville
rose　to　protest　against　the　testimony　of　a　wife　against　her　husband。
The　public　prosecutor　replied　that　Marthe　by　her　own　confession　was　an
accomplice　in　the　outrage；　that　she　had　neither　sworn　nor　testified；
and　was　to　be　heard　solely　in　the　interests　of　truth。

〃We　need　only　submit　her　preliminary　examination　to　the　jury；〃
remarked　the　president；　who　now　ordered　the　clerk　of　the　court　to　read
the　said　testimony　aloud。

〃Do　you　now　confirm　your　own　statement？〃　said　the　president；
addressing　Marthe。

Michu　looked　at　his　wife；　and　Marthe；　who　saw　her　fatal　error；　fainted
away　and　fell　to　the　floor。　It　may　be　truly　said　that　a　thunderbolt
had　fallen　upon　the　prisoners　and　their　counsel。

〃I　never　wrote　to　my　wife　from　prison；　and　I　know　none　of　the　persons
employed　there；〃　said　Michu。

Bordin　passed　to　him　the　fragments　of　the　letter　Marthe　had　received。
Michu　gave　but　one　glance　at　it。　〃My　writing　has　been　imitated；〃　he
said。

〃Denial　is　your　last　resource；〃　said　the　public　prosecutor。

The　senator　was　introduced　into　the　courtroom　with　all　the　ceremonies
due　to　his　position。　His　entrance　was　like　a　stage　scene。　Malin　（now
called　Comte　de　Gondreville；　without　regard　to　the　feelings　of　the
late　owners　of　the　property）　was　requested　by　the　president　to　look　at
the　prisoners；　and　did　so　with　great　attention　and　for　a　long　time。　He
stated　that　the　clothing　of　his　abductors　was　exactly　like　that　worn
by　the　four　gentlemen；　but　he　declared　that　the　trouble　of　his　mind
had　been　such　that　he　could　not　be　positive　that　the　accused　were
really　the　guilty　parties。

〃More　than　that；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　my　conviction　that　these　four
gentlemen　had　nothing　to　do　with　it。　The　hands　that　blindfolded　me　in
the　forest　were　coarse　and　rough。　I　should　rather　suppose；〃　he　added；
looking　at　Michu；　〃that　my　old　enemy　took　charge　of　that　duty；　but　I
beg　the　gentlemen　of　the　jury　not　to　give　too　much　weight　to　this
remark。　My　suspicions　are　very　slight；　and　I　feel　no　certainty
whateverfor　this　reason。　The　two　men　who　seized　me　put　me　on
horseback　behind　the　man　who　blindfolded　me；　and　whose　hair　was　red
like　Michu's。　However　singular　you　may　consider　the　observation　I　am
about　to　make；　it　is　necessary　to　make　it　because　it　is　the　ground　of
an　opinion　favorable　to　the　accusedwho；　I　hope；　will　not　feel
offended　by　it。　Fastened　to　the　man's　back　I　would　naturally　have　been
affected　by　his　odoryet　I　did　not　perceive　that　which　is　peculiar　to
Michu。　As　to　the　person　who　brought　me　provisions　on　three　several
occasions；　I　am　certain　it　was　Marthe；　the　wife　of　Michu。　I　recognized
her　the　first　time　she　came　by　a　ring　she　always　wore；　which　she　had
forgotten　to　remove。　The　Court　and　jury　will　please　allow　for　the
contradictions　which　appear　in　the　facts　I　have　stated；　which　I　myself
am　wholly　unable　to　reconcile。〃

A　murmur　of　approval　followed　this　testimony。　Bordin　asked　permission
of　the　Court　to　address　a　few　questions　to　the　witness。

〃Does　the　senator　think　that　his　abduction　was　due　to　other　causes
than　the　interests　respecting　property　which　the　prosecution
attributes　to　the　prisoners？〃

〃I　do；〃　replied　the　senator；　〃but　I　am　wholly　ignorant　of　what　the
real　motives　were；　for　during　a　captivity　of　twenty　days　I　saw　and
heard　no　one。〃

〃Do　you　think；〃　said　the　public　prosecutor；　〃that　your　chateau　at
Gondreville　contains　information；　title…deeds；　or　other　papers　of
value　which　would　induce　a　search　on　the　part　of　the　Messieurs　de
Simeuse？〃

〃I　do　not　think　so；〃　replied　Malin；　〃I　believe　those　gentlemen　to　be
incapable　of　attempting　to　get　possession　of　such　papers　by　violence。
They　had　only　to　ask　me　for　them　to　obtain　them。〃

〃You　burned　certain　papers　in　the　park；　did　you　not？〃　said　Monsieur　de
Gondreville；　abruptly。

Malin　looked　at　Grevin。　After　exchanging　a　rapid　glance　with　the
notary；　which　Bordin　intercepted；　he　replied　that　he　had　not　burned
any　papers。　The　public　prosecutor　having　asked　him　to　describe　the
ambush　to　which　he　had　so　nearly　fallen　a　victim　two　years　earlier；
the　senator　replied　that　he　had　seen　Michu　watching　him　from　the　fork
of　a　tree。　This　answer；　which　agreed　with　Grevin's　testimony；　produced
a　great　impression。

The　four　gentlemen　remained　impassible　during　the　examination　of　their
enemy；　who　seemed　determined　to　overwhelm　them　with　generosity。
Laurence　suffered　horrible　agony。　From　time　to　time　the　Marquis　de
Chargeboeuf　held　her　by　the　arm；　fearing　she　might　dart　forward　to　the
rescue。　The　Comte　de　Gondreville　retired　from　the　courtroom　and　as　he
did　so　he　bowed　to　the　four　gentlemen；　who　did　not　return　the
salutation。　This　trifling　matter　made　the　jury　indignant。

〃They　are　lost　now；〃　whispered　Bordin　to　the　Marquis　de　Chargeboeuf。

〃Alas；　yes！　and　always　through　the　nobility　of　their　sentiments；〃
replied　the　marquis。

〃My　task　is　now　only　too　easy；　gentlemen；〃　said　the　prosecutor；　rising
to　address　the　jury。

He　explained　the　use　of　the　cement　by　the　necessity　of　securing　an
iron　frame　on　which　to　fasten　a　padlock　which　held　the　iron　bar　with
which　the　gate　of　the　cavern　was　closed；　a　description　of　which　was
given　in　the　/proces…verbal/　made　that　morning　by　Pigoult。　He　put　the
falsehoods　of　the　accused　into　the　strongest　light；　and　pulverized　the
arguments　of　the　defence　with　the　new　evidence　so　miraculously
obtained。　In　1806　France　was　still　too　near　the　Supreme　Being　of　1793
to　talk　about　divine　justice；　he　therefore　spared　the　jury　all
reference　to　the　intervention　of　heaven；　but　he　said　that　earthly
justice　would　be　on　the　watch　for　the　mysterious　accomplices　who　had
set　the　senator　at　liberty；　and　he　sat　down；　confidently　awaiting　the
verdict。

The　jury　believed　there　was　a　mystery；　but　they　were　all　persuaded
that　it　came　from　the　prisoners；　who　were　probably　concealing　some
matter　of　a　private　interest　of　great　importance　to　them。

Monsieur　de　Grandville；　to　whom　a　plot　or　machination　of　some　kind　was
quite　evident；　rose；　but　he　seemed　discouraged；less；　however；　by　the
new　evidence　than　by　the　manifest　opinion　of　the　jury。　He　surpassed；
if　anything；　his　speech　of　the　previous　evening；　his　argument　was　more
compact　and　logical；　but　he　felt　his　fervor　repelled　by　the　coldness
of　the　jury；　he　spoke　ineffectually；　and　he　knew　it；a　chilling
situation　for　an　advocate。　He　called　attention　to　the　fact　that　the
release　of　the　senator；　as　if　by　magic　and　clearly　without　the　aid　of
any　of　the　accused　or　of　Marthe；　corroborated　his　previous　argument。
Yesterday　the　prisoners　could　most　surely　rely　on　acquittal；　and　if
they　had；　as　the　prosecution　claimed；　the　power　to　hold　or　to　release
the　senator；　they　certainly　would　not　have　released　him　until　after
their　acquittal。　He　endeavored　to　bring　before　the　minds　of　the　Court
and　jury　the　fact　that　mysterious　enemies；　undiscovered　as　yet；　could
alone　have　struck　the　accused　this　final　blow。

Strange　to　say；　the　only　minds　Monsieur　de　Grandville　reached　with
this　argument　were　those　of　the　public　prosecutor　and　the　judges。　The
jury　listened　perfunctorily；　the　audience；　usually　so　favorable　to
prisoners；　were　convinced　of　their　guilt。　In　a　court　of　justice　the
sentiments　of　the　crowd　do　unquestionably　weigh　upon　the　judges　and
the　jury；　and　/vice　versa/。　Seeing　this　condition　of　the　minds　about
him；　which　could　be　felt　if　not　defined；　the　counsel　uttered　his　last
words　in　a　tone　of　passionate　excitement　caused　by　his　conviction：

〃In　the　name　of　the　accused；〃　he　cried；　〃I　forgive　you　for　the　fatal
error　you　are　about　to　commit；　and　which　nothing　can　repair！　We　are
the　victims　of　some　mysterious　and　Machiavellian　power。　Marthe　Michu
was　inveigled　by　vile　perfidy。　You　will　discover　this　too　late；　when
the　evil　you　now　do　will　be　irreparable。〃

Bordin　simply　claimed　the　acquittal　of　the　prisoners　on　the　testimony
of　the　senator　himself。

The　president　summed　up　the　case　with　all　the　more　impartiality
because　it　was　evident　that　the　minds　of　the　jurors　were　already　made
up。　He　even　turned　the　scales　in　favor　of　the　prisoners　by　dwelling　on
the　senator's　evidence。　This　clemency；　however；　did　not　in　the　least
endanger　the　success　of　the　prosecution。　At　eleven　o'clock　that　night；
after　the　jury　had　replied　through　their　foreman　to　the　usual
questions；　the　Court　condemned　Michu　to　death；　the　Messieurs　de
Simeuse　to　twenty…four　years'　and　the　Messieurs　d'Hauteserre　to　ten
years；　penal　servitude　at　hard　labor。　Gothard　was　acquitted。

The　whole　audience　was　eager　to　observe　the　bearing　of　the　five　guilty
men　in　this　supreme　moment　of　their　lives。　The　four　gentlemen　looked
at　Laurence；　who　returned　them；　with　dry　eyes；　the　ardent　look　of　the
martyrs。

〃She　would　have　wept　had　we　been　acquitted；〃　said　the　younger　de
Simeuse　to　his　brother。

Never　did　convicted　men　meet　an　unjust　fate　with　serener　brows　or
countenances　more　worthy　of　their　manhood　than　these　five　victims　of　a
cruel　plot。

〃Our　counsel　has　forgiven　you；〃　said　the　eldest　de　Simeuse　to　the
Court。

*****

Madame　d'Hauteserre　fell　ill；　and　was　three　months　in　her　bed　at　the
hotel　de　Chargeboeuf。　Monsieur　d'Hauteserre　returned　patiently　to
Cinq…Cygne；　inwardly　gnawed　by　one　of　those　sorrows　of　old　age　which
have　none　of　youth's　distractions；　often　he　was　so　absent…minded　that
the　abbe；　who　watched　him；　knew　the　poor　father